Reclinable spud construction



J. D. RAUCH 2,271,344

RECLINABLE SPUD CONSTRUCTION Jan. 27, 1942.

Filed Dec. 23, 1940 2 Sheets-$heet l IN VENTOR JOHN D. BAUC/l f A rromvsVs f (aw-M Jan. 27, 194-2. J RAUCH 2,271,344

RECLINABLE SPUD CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 23, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ggmnuw 11v VENTOR J0 HN 0. 12A uCH Patented Jan. 27, 1942 UNI T E D STATELS PAT T OF I C 2,271,344 RECLINABLE. S'PUD CDNSTRUGTION John D. Ranch,Lima, Ohio Application-December 23, 19 40,? swarm. 371,430

. waterwaybottom for anchoringthe dredge-during the dredgingoperations.Withspuds oi'thistype raised from the anchoring position for enablingmovement of-thedredge to :a new location; aconsiderable problem isencounteredwhen' the dredge isv required to. pass under low over-hangingob stacles, such as bridges or the like, because ofthe heightlabove thewater. line to whichfthefspud extends whencso raised.

The problem is particularly" acute when.- the dredging operationsvrequire digging at a consid erabledepth and where relatively shallowdraft as wellas-low overhead clearance limitations are encountered inmoving the dredge from" one location to'another'. Under-such conditions,a relatively long spud may be required? to be used at the dredginglocations andiitimay beiniecessary to raise the lower end of thespu'dito a pointzat' least as? high ELSE the bottom of: the hull oflthedredge to'c'lear'shallow'stretches of the waterway when the dredge is:being moved. If during'such' move ment' low overhanging obstacles areencountered where the clearance is'less than the length ofth'e spudextending above the water line when so raised, the spud may-often haveto 'be dismantl'ed to-permitfthe dredge tofpass such obstacles, in-

- volving considerable delay and expense;

It has been heretofore proposed to employ spuds ofatelescopingconstruction, or spudscomprising hinged section's, but" whilesuch" proposals may have utility where the digging depth is not great,they'are subject to disadvantages. under theacute condition, abovementioned, where the clearance" above the water line is only a smallfraction of the depth at which diggingopera'tions are required tobaundertaken. Under such condition, because it is often necessary toutilize the spuds for the raising of the hull in the Water, vthetelescoping or hinged section types of spud, heretofore proposed, aresubject to disadvantages eitherin respect to their incapability ofperforming, such hull raising function, or in respect. to

their incapability of being confined within a surficiently smallvertical compass when raised,

lit is thereforeaprimary object of the present inventionto providea'spud construction meeting the requirements of conditions oi minimumclearance above the water l-ine-, minim'umdraft limitations in moving'adredge from one location to another, and maximum depth: at whichdigging operations are to beundertaken For the purposes of myinventionandto -meet the requirements of: certain operating conditionswith which the inventionisdesigned to deal, I conceive anintegraltypeoispud as distinguished from aztelescoping -or hinged section type, tobemostsatisfactory. I

It is a further principal object at thisinvention to provide a spudconstruction in which a vertically operating spud is-enabled to be laidback-in a reclining position above and adjacent' to the deck of thewater craft when fullyraised without dismantling the spud or disengagingthe spud from its operating mechanism. 1

Another principa1 object of the invention is to provide aspudconstruction of the type just referred to wherein the spud may bBII-IOVCd toward reclining position above and adjacent to the hull deckbefore the spud is fully raised.

Still: another principal object of; theinvention is the provision of aspud construction of the type justreferred to having meansforvautomatically vertically alining the spud as the same is moved from thereclining to the anchoringposition. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a well construction, foremployment inside of the hull line, which'will-enable the spud to beautomatically vertically alined-foritsanchoring func- 1 tion whenlowered while permitting the spud tobe reclining position aboveandadjacent to the hull deck before it isfully raised;

In carrying the invention into practice, I em- I ploy an integral spudof any suitable length apto, but above, the deck of the water craft, andmeans for automatically positively alining the spud vertically when thesame is moved longitudinally downwardly after the spud has been swung toan approximate vertical position.

I prefer to locate the last means in a position, respecting the hull ofthe water craft, such that the spud may be swung about its point ofsupport to reclining position before the lower end of the spud is raisedabove the level of the deck. In order to accomplish this latter objectwhen the spud is positioned inside of the hull line, I provide a novelconstruction of well through which the spud is to be moved from itsreclining to anchoring position, which well includes a wall, a portionof which has a forwardly extended arcuate contour, and the lower portionof the well being restricted for confining the spud in a, verticalposition when a portion of the spud extends into such restricted portionof the well.

The outwardly extending arcuate contour of the upper portion of one ofthe walls of the well enables the spud to be swung about its point ofsupport when the lower end of the spud is raised above the restrictedportion of the well, and also serves to direct the spud to verticallyalined position by engagement of the lower end of the spud with theoutwardly extending upper portion of the well when the spud is beinglowered to operating position.

The same construction of well, involving the provision of a wall, aportion of which has an outwardly extending arcuate contour, isappliside of the hull line, as shown by one embodiment of the invention.

For a detailed description of the invention reference is now had to theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of one form of apparatus embodyingthe invention, wherein the spud is mounted for operation inside of thehull line, said view looking toward one side of a portion of the hull ofthe water craft to which the apparatus is applied, the spud well beingshown in section.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the form of the invention shown in Figure1, the spud being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of apparatus" embodying anotherform of the invention, wherein the spud is mounted for operation outsideof the hull line, said view looking toward one side of a portion of thehull of the water craft, portions of the spud well being shown insection.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the form of the invention shown in Figure3, the spud being shown in section.

Referring first to the construction illustrated by Figures 1 and 2, thenumeral l indicates the hull of a dredge or similar type of water craftwhich is provided, as seen best in Figure 2, with a spud well 2positioned inside of the hull line and which extends through the hullvertically from the deck to the bottom thereof for the ac- The lowerportion of the well 2 is narrowed or restricted in cross sectional area,as at 4, to confine the spud within a narrow compass at such point formaintaining the same vertically alined during the lowering of the spudto anchoring position. At this point 4 of restricted cross sectionalarea of the well 2, there may be provided a roller 5, extending acrossthe well 2 and journaled in the side plates thereof, for engaging oneside of the spud 3 for reducing the friction incident to the operationof the spud within the restricted portion of the well 2.

The well 2, above its restricted portion, is widened in one direction,by providing one wall 6, preferably the forward wall, with an outward-1y extending arcuate contour, as indicated in Figure 1, whereby topermit the swinging of the spud 3 about its pivotal support as soon asthe lower end 3a of the spud is raised above the roller 5.

Any suitable operating means for moving the spud longitudinally and forcausing it to swing about a point of support may be provided, and, asshown, such means may take the form of rack and pinion instrumentalitiesand pivotally supported means for maintaining the rack engaged with thepinion during all positions of longitudinal and swinging movement of thespud 3.

The operating instrumentalities illustrated include the provision ofrack teeth 1 formed on the back side of the spud 3, which mesh with apinion B, fixed to a shaft 9, rotatably supported in suitable bearingsin the spaced vertical plates in and H secured to the deck Ia of thehull I.

The shaft 9 is extended through the plate H and its inner end issuitably journaled in a bearing 12 secured to the deck la. Fixed to theshaft 9 is a drum 13 connected with a suitable source of power by acable [4 fastened to the drum and looped thereabout by means of whichthe pinion 8 may be caused to rotate for moving the spud longitudinally.The drum l3 has a circumferential flange l5 provided with pockets orratchets Hi to receive the nose of a lock bar I! operable by a lever l8pivotally connected to the plate H, and connected with the lock bar ITby means of a link 19 pivoted to one end of the lock bar and to one endof the lever.

Engagement of the lock bar I! with one of the pockets IS of the flange15 holds the drum l3 and pinion 8 against rotation, locking the spud inthe desired position through the engagement of its ratchet teeth I withsaid pinion 8.

For maintaining the rack teeth 1 in engage ment with the pinion 8, thereis provided a stirrup pivotally supported on the pinion shaft 9, saidstirrup comprising the keeper plates 20 and 2| pivoted to the shaft 9 oneither side of the spud 3, and the keeper rollers 22 and 23 rotatablysecured to th keeper plates and engaging the fore side of the spud 3.For controlling the pivotal movement of the spud 3 about the supportingpinion shaft 8 to reclining position, indicated by the dotted lines inFigure 1, there are provided suitable cable hoisting means comprising anA-frame 24 pivotally secured, as at 25, to the deck Ia, pulleys 26 and21 secured respectively to the A-frame 24 and the upper end of the spud3, and a rope or cable 28 trained over said pulleys.

It will be understood, of course, that the cable 23 need not be trainedover the pulleys 26 and 21, unless desired, except when the raising andlowering operation of the spud is to be performed. And it will also beapparent that any other suitable means for performing the raising andlowering operation of the spud may be substituted for the cable andpulley means or the Aeframe shown.

In ope-ration, assuming. that the spud is in the reclining dotted lineposition indicated in Figure 1, and it is desired to position the spudfor performing its anchoring function, the spud will be raised toapproximately vertical position bypull ing downwardly on the free end ofthe cable 28, whereupon, the lock bar I! being withdrawn from lookingengagement with the flange IS, the

spud3 will be caused to be moved downwardly either by gravity or byrotation of the drum l3. As the spud 3 moves downwardly, the lower end3a thereof will enter the lower restrictedportion 40f the well 2 so asto automatically cause the spud to be engaged in said restricted portionof the well between the roller and the opposite wall of the well 2,whereby to maintain the spud against swinging movement and in verticalposi tion when so engaged. As soon as the lower portion 3a of the spud 3passes over the roller 5 in its downward movement, it will be properlyvertically alined for the performance of its anchoring function, whereinthe said lower end of the spud is embedded in the bottom of the body ofwater in which the craft is operating.

When the spuds 3 have been driven downwardly as far as desired, and, inpractice, the latter part of such movement may often be accomplished byapplying power to the pinion shaft 9 for causing the spuds 3 to bedriven forcefully into the channel bottom for raising the hull lthereupon to support increased weight incident to the dredgingoperations, the lock bar I! will be caused to enter one of the pocketsI6 of the drum flange I5 for locking the spud 3 against movementrelative to the hull I.

When it is desired to raise the spuds'3 for moving the craft to a newlocation, the latch I! will be withdrawn from looking engagement withthe flange l5, and power applied to the cable [4 for rotation of thedrum I3, shaft 9 and pinion 8, to rack upwardly the spud'3 If, in movingfrom one location to another, it is necessary to pass obstacles underconditions 'of minimum clearance, the spud 3 will be racked upwardlyuntil its lower end 311 is raised above the upper extremity, of therestricted portion of the well, or, in other words, abov the roller 5whereupon the spud may be swung in an are about its pivotal support onthe shaft 9 to the reclining-dotted line position shown in Figure 1underthe control of the cable 28.

As will be apparent, by reason of the provision of the arcuate'contouredwall 6 of the well 2, it is not necessary to raise the lower end'of thespud 3 above the level of the deck starting its swinging movement toreclining position.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention, shown by Figures 3 and 4,the operating instrumentalities for pivotally supporting the spud-Btoenable its movement from vertical to reclining position, and for causinglongitudinal movement thereof, are essentially the same as thosedescribed in reference to the construction of Figures 1 and 2, and,likewise, the well construction, illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, has thesame essential characteristics, except that the well in Figures 3 and 4is located outside of the hull line instead of through the hull as inFigures 1 and 2.

The same characters of reference are used to designate identical partsin all of the figures of i la before the drawings, andinFigurcs 3andAareference characters; followed by, a prime. designation ;.in.diecatewpartsfunctionally similar to but :of slightly differentconstruction or arrangementsfrom parts bearing corresponding numerals inFigures 1 and 2.;

In Figures 3 and 4, the well 2 is formed of angle bracket plates 30 and3i, secured to the side. plates. lbof'fthe hull- I, andanouter-plate 32'secured" to .theangle plates.v Thehullside plates lb form-the-inner wall.of thewwelll. The portion 3-0dof the bracket'plateiflfis angularlydisposed relative to; the hull plate lb to form the rear wall of; thewell 2, againstwhichthe rack teethlcf the spud 3. impingewhenthe'spud isposi ioned in the well.v The p r ion. 3 d of; the bracket late 313 is;likewise an larly'disposed toform theforward wall of'the well? havingthe arcuately flaredcontour-fi 'I'he roller-i is rotatalcly supported bythe hull plate lb andv the outer plate 32, which latter is formedwiththe upstanding portion 32a to-form a bearing for the outer. end of;the pinion shaft 9- whichegtendsthrough-a vertical plate H secured tothe deck la as in the: construction of Figures land 2,.

Itv will be. noted-that positive. vertical alinement of the spud may besecured automatically by the centering actionof thelower pointed end of'the spudengaging between the roller and the opposite wall ofv the'wellas the spud moves into the restricted portion of the well, if the spudis nearly vertically alined initially.

It will be understood that after the spud-3 is swung to the recliningdotted line position of Figures 1 and 3, the upper end of-the spudmay besuppQrted by a suitable carriage .(QI' lowered to the deck) and he,-frame fl-mey'then be swung about its pivot 25 (preferably-forwardly)likewise to a reclining position so as to afford'the desired clearanceduring the passage of the dredge beneath lower overhangingobstacles.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the spud construction,herein-described, makes provision for the complete withdrawal from itswell or vertically alining means, of. an integral spud withoutdisassembling the same or causing itto bedisengaged from its. opratingins rumentalt ties, under. conditions providing maximum clearanceregardlessof the length of the spud, The necessity for employ-inganintegral spud of the type herein referred to, as distinguished fromspuds of the telescoping or hinged section type, undercertain'conditions, will be clear when it is borneimmind thatthe acti nof forc u beddingthespudin the hannel bo om iscf en It will also: beseen that the construction heme in described provides automaticpositive-vertical alinement of the spud for itsanc-horingfunction whenbrought from reclining to approximate Vere tical'position by theprovision merely of means for restricting thesi-de. play of the spudwhenits lower end reaches a certain point, while. 1311811011;-

restriction of such side play, above said point, enables swingingmovement of the spud about its supporting axis prior to a time when thelower end of the spud is fully raised above the deck of the water craft.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a spud construction of the class described, in combination, anintegral spud, a pivotal axis therefor, means for pivotally supportingsaid spud on said axis for swinging movement thereabout and forlongitudinal movement of the spud in the direction of its lengthrelative to said axis, and means engageable with and disengageable fromsaid spud as a result of longitudinal movement of the spud relative tosaid means for maintaining the spud against swingingmovement when soengaged.

2. In a spud construction of the class described, in combination, adredge or the like having a deck, an integral spud, a pivotal axistherefor fixed to the dredge, means for pivotally supporting said spudon said axis for swinging movement thereabout and for longitudinalmovement of the spud in the direction of its length relative to saidaxis, and means engageable with and disengageable from said spud as aresult of longitudinal movement thereof for positively maintaining thespud in vertical position relative to said deck when so engaged.

3. In a spud construction of the class described, in combination, aspud, a pivotal axis therefor, means including a member encircling saidspud for pivotally supporting said spud on said axis for swingingmovement thereabout and longitudinal movement of the spud in thedirection of its length relative to said axis, and means automaticallyengageable with and disengageable from said spud as a result oflongitudinal movement thereof in the direction of its length relative tosaid axis for positively maintaining said spud vertically when soengaged.

4. In a spud construction of the class described, the combination with adredge or the like having a deck, of a pivotal axis located above andadjacent to said deck, a spud, means including a member encircling saidspud for pivotally supporting the same on said axis for swingingmovement thereabout and longitudinal movement of the spud in thedirection of its length relative to said axis, and means automaticallyengageable with and disengageable from said spud as a result oflongitudinal movement thereof relative to. said axis for positivelymaintaining the spud vertical relative to said deck when so engaged.

5. In a spud construction of the class described, the combination with adredge or the like having a deck, of a pivotal axis located above andadjacent to said deck, a spud, means including a member encircling saidspud for pivotally supporting the same on said axis for swingingmovement thereabout and longitudinal movement of the spud in thedirection of its length relative to said axis, and means engageable withsaid spud during longitudinal movement of the spud in the direction ofits length respecting said axis and vertically respecting said deck formaintaining the spud against swinging movement when the spud is soengaged, said last mean permitting longitudinal movement of said spud inthe direction of its length into and out of engagement with said lastmeans, said spud being swingable about said axis to a reclining positionadjacent to and substantially parallel with said deck upon disengagementof said spud and said means.

6. In a spud construction of the class described, in combination, adredge or the like having a deck, a spud, a pivotal axis therefor fixedto the dredge, means for pivotally supporting said spud on said axis forswinging movement thereabout and for longitudinal movement of said spudin the direction of its length relative to said axis, and meansengageable with said spud during longitudinal movement thereofdownwardly for maintaining the spud vertically relativ to said deck whenso engaged, said last means being so constructed and arranged as topermit disengagement of said last means from said spud during upwardlongitudinal movement of the latter at a point below the level of thedeck whereby v to enable swinging movement of said spud about said axistoward reclining position without raising the spud above the level ofthe deck.

'7. In a spud construction of the class described, in combination, adredge or the like having a deck, a pivotal axis located above andadjacent to said deck, an integral spud, means including a memberencircling said spud for pivotally supporting said spud on said axis forswinging movement thereabout and for longitudinal movement of the spudin the direction of its length relative to said axis from a verticalposition to a reclining position with the spud adjacent to andsubstantially parallel with said deck, and means automaticallyengageable with said spud during longitudinal movement thereofdownwardly for positively maintaining the spud vertically rela tive tosaid deck when so engaged, said last means being so constructed andarranged relative to said deck as-to permit disengagement of said lastmeans from said spud during upward longitudinal movement of the latterat a point below the level of the deck whereby to enable swingingmovement of said spud about said axis toward reclining position withoutraising the spud above the level of the deck.

8. In a spud construction of the class described, in combination, a spudwell, a pivotal axis above said well, and a spud pivotally supported onsaid axis for swinging movement thereabout and for movement of the spudin the direction of its length relative to said axis whereby said spudmay be inserted into and withdrawn from said well, said well having alower restricted portion for positively maintaining said spud invertical alignment when the same is positioned in said restrictedportion, and said well being so constructed as to enable swingingmovement of said spud about said axis when the lower end of said spud israised above said restricted portion and while said spud is positionedwithin the well.

9. A spud well of the class described, comprising an enclosure havingtop and bottom openings for receiving a spud adapted to be operatedtherethrough, said enclosure having a lower portion of restrictedcross-sectional area for preventing lateral movement of the spud whilepermitting longitudinal movement thereof through the well when a part ofthe spud is positioned in said restricted portion, said enclosure havingone wall flared outwardly upwardly from the restricted portion to permitlateral movement of the spud when its free end is raised above saidrestricted portion.

11. A spud well of the class described, comprising an enclosure havingtop and bottom openings for receiving a spud adapted to be operatedtherethrough, said enclosure having a lower portion of restrictedcross-sectional area for preventing lateral movement of the spud whilepermitting longitudinal movement thereof through the well when a part ofthe spud is positioned in said restricted portiomsaid enclosure havingone wall flared outwardly upwardly in an arcuate curve from therestricted portion to permit swinging movement of the spud withoutlongitudinal movement thereof when the fre end of the spud is raisedabove said restricted portion.

12. A spud well of the class described, comprising an enclosure forreceiving a spudadapted to be operated therethrough, a portion of saidenclosure being of restricted cross-sectional area for closelyencompassing the spud when the latter is positioned therein forpreventing lateral movement of the spud while permitting longitudinalmovement thereof through the well when the spud is so positioned, s'aidenclosure being so constructed as to permit swinging movement of thespud when the lower end of the latter is raised above said restrictedportion of the well.

13. A spud well of the class described, comprising an enclosure forreceiving a spud adapted to be operated therethrough, a portion of saidenclosure being of restricted cross-sectional area for closelyencompassing the spud when the latter is positioned therein forpreventing lateral movement of the spud while permitting longitudinalmovement thereof through the well when the spud is so positioned, saidenclosure being provided with anti-friction means adjacent therestricted portion thereof, 'and engaging the spud when the latter ispositioned in said portion, said enclosure being so constructed, and theanti-friction means being so arranged, as to permit swinging movement ofthe spud when the lower end of the latter is raised above the locationof the anti-friction means.

14. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a dredge or thelike comprising a hull having a deck, a spud, a pivotal axis thereforfixed to said hull, a pinion on said axis, said spud having rack teeththereon for engagement with said pinion to move the spud in thedirection of its length upon rotation of said pinion,

means pivoted to said axis for maintaining the rack teeth in engagementwith said pinion to pivotally support the spud onsaid axis for swingingmovement thereabout and for longitudinal movement of the spud in thedirection of its length relative to said axis, and means automaticallyengageable with and disengageable from said spud as a result of downwardlongitudinal movement of the spud in the direction of its length forpositively maintaining the spud in a vertical position when so engaged,said last means being so constructed and arranged as to permitdisengagement of said last means from said spud during upwardlongitudinal movement of the latter at a point below the level of thedeck whereby to enable swinging movement of said spud about said axistoward a horizontal position before the spud has been raised above thelevel of the deck.

15. In a spud construction of the class described, in combination, anintegral spud. a pivotal axi therefor, means for pivotally supportingsaid spud on said axis for swinging movement thereabout and forlongitudinal movement of the spud in the direction of its lengthrelative to said axis, and means engageable with and disengageable fromsaid spud as a result of longitudinal movement of the spud relative tosaid means for maintaining the spud against swinging movement when soengaged, and means operable to lock the spud against longitudinalmovement thereof.

16. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a dredge or thelike comprising a hull having a deck, a spud, a pivotal axis thereforfixed tosaid hull, a pinion on said axis, said spud having rack teeththereon for engagement with said pinion to move the spud in thedirection of its length upon rotation of said pinion, means pivoted tosaid axis for maintaining the rack teeth in engagement with said pinionto pivotally support the spud on said axis for swinging movementthereabout and for longitudinal movement of the spud in the direction ofits lengthv relative to said axis, and means automatically engageablewith and disengageable from said spud as a result of downwardlongitudinal movement of the spud in the direction of its length forpositively maintaining the spud in a vertical position when so engaged,and means engageable with and disengageable from the pinion for lookingthe pinion against rotation when so engaged to thereby preventlongitudinal movement of the spud.

JOHN D. RAUCH.

